Decision Making at the Top

All Stars Sports Catalog Case Study Analysis

 ◼ The case revolves around a company All Star sports Catalog
Division (ASC) whose president is Don Barett who is planning
for a special meeting with his senior management staff on August
21, 1997.
◼ Don Barrett joined ASC in 1989 and since then taken its market
from $ 35 million to $ 800 million annually.
About the ◼ Purpose of meet is to develop a strategic decision process for
company that meets its goals.
Case ◼ The current decision process follows 2 hours meet on monday in
which they review and discuss the problem or topic and than
adopting a new plan.
◼ 3 options proposed for decision process:
◼ Management group would conduct all decision process as

single team
◼ 3-4 members team would look into strategic decisions of

division.
◼ Go with the existing decision process.
Company Overview
● 450 US Superstores, 60 All
● Started Targeting Schools , stars International stores in
● Founded By Steve Archibald countries like Canada , Mexico
Sports teams and Other
● High Volume discount Organizations and Brazil.
sporting goods superstore. ● ● Express and two wholesalers
Sales grew at a compounded
● First store in Tampa Florida. annual growth rate of 55% divisions - Jackson sports and
Hoffman Team Apparel.
1990 1993-1996 1997-
2001
1988 1995 1997
● The company entered mail Acquired 4
● 3 Subdivisions were created
order catalog by creating wholesalers to
- US Superstores ,All stars
All star express. build the national
● International & ASC.
Offered free next day delivery network.
● Achieved sales of $800
delivery.
● million in 1996.
Head was Don Barrett.
 Staff members
COMPANY
STRUCTURE Middle managers

Senior Project
Managers

13 VPs

President
 Current Decision-making Process & Stages

1. Framing The Problem 2. Identifying Alternatives 3. Analyzing Alternatives

● Subgroup narrowed down the possible options Performing quantitative cost-benefit
Staff members are divided into Analysis and providing pros and cons of
● Providing Don with all possible alternatives
subgroups to work on it. every option

● Met each Monday for 2hrs.

● 1st hour- reviewing and discussing a variety of
issues
● 2nd hour- in depth discussion on a particular
topic
● Once per month, 3 hrs group meet with CEO
Steve Archibald 5. Ratifying The Choice

● Subgroup presentation to staff.

● The staff would either ratify or show dissatisfaction.
4. Making The Choice
● If yes proceed and if no collect feedback and work on
Barret’s interaction with subgroups
it. and selecting a course of action
STRENGTH & WEAKNESSES

Weaknesses
Strengths
Strengths

1)Getting effective cross functional

1)Everyone was aware of the goal that was
make good numbers and they did pretty well.
2)Strategic Strengths:
a) Purchasing Leverage
b)Synergies with Retail Division
c)Brand Equity
3)Low levels of Political Behaviour
4)Don Barret , the President of ASC was a crisp
and efficient leader
5)Strong pay for performance system
communication and coordination
2)Large sized group so everyone can’t be heard
3)Offline confrontations lead to no debate culture
4)No proper closure of meeting. Group failed to
arrive
at a consensus
5)Thought process occurred in individual or small
groups
rather than amongst the whole staff.
6)Required level of commitment or buy in
on key decisions was not achieved
 Decision Options
Team orientation refers to an Lack of quality
individual's propensity for discussions Bloated membership
functioning as part of a team and the
degree to which individuals prefer to
Managing Change
work in group settings for task Create a divide among the
accomplishment. members

Consensus Issues
Issues Difficulty in delegation by
senior executives

Issues with the Manager

Probability of more politics
within the group to stay on top.

The personal, but not hidden,

Lack of engagement by the
members agendas of individuals The term “top management team” has
been adopted by organization and strategy
theorists to refer to the relatively small
group of most influential executives at the
apex of an organization – usually the
general manager and his or her direct
reports.
Consultant’s Survey

Inference from the Data

1. The survey is evident that Certain members are not team players as the score is tending towards 7(which is 4.88) like accurate info.The
standard deviation of the first result is high at 2.25

2. Some Members work individually and the score there is 4.00 tending towards accurate.

From these inferences we can conclude that some of the employees are not participating in active discussions and they are not team players
which is not a good behavioral sign in an organization.
 Fine-tuning
Definition from Oxford Dictionary, “make small
Decision Option 3 ---- Best Choice adjustments to (something) in order to achieve a
desired performance”.

WHY FINE-TUNING?

ASC had already achieved a remarkable success using this present

strategic decision-making process.

Fine-Tuning the ● Meet the least amount of employee resistance and

expanding on the current process
current decision ●
●
Meeting twice a week so that CEO gets better clarity
Reduce difference between seniors and juniors.

making process ●
●
Train some members to learn more on teamwork
Change meeting environment and introduce
deadlines so that everyone will take participation in
decision making
Six Thinking Hats for Constructive Debates
 R-A-P-I-D Decision Model for Fast Decision Making

Recommend:
Input:
1. A decision or action
2. Gather and assess the
1. Put up Facts
relevant information
2. Judgement comes
3. Obtain input from
second.
appropriate parties

Decide:
1. Make the decision
2. Commit the Decision
to the Organization.

Perform:
1. The ones agreeing will
Approve:
be accountable for the
1. The decision if it’s
decision made.
viable
2. They must see through
2. Veto power can be
the completion and
used if it is not.
execution of the
process.
 Motivation

Organisational
Behaviour Individuals,
Group
&
Organisation

Strong Work
Ethic Performance
Feedback

Customer service & counter productive

 LEARNINGS FROM THE CASE

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THANK YOU